Sony recalls Viao Fit 11A laptop units citing fire risk..!!

Sony announced on Friday that it recalling some of of the Vaio Fit 11A notebook units because of an overheating problem and possible fire risk of the battery supplied by a unit of Panasonic.

The company has identified 25,905 of the computers worldwide shipped since it first went on sale in February. About 3,600 were sold in Japan, 2,000 in China, 7,000 in Europe, 5,600 in Latin America, and 500 in the U.S. Nearly 7,000 were sold in Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan and China.

"It has come to our attention that some of the internal, non-removable battery packs provided to us by a third party supplier and included in VAIO Fit 11A released in February 2014 have the potential to overheat resulting in partial burns to the housing of the PC," noted the press release published on Sony's website on Friday.

The first incident was reported in Japan on 19 March, followed by similar incidents on 30 March in Hong Kong and on 8 April in China. Sony says that it has stopped selling the product at the beginning of this month and is asking customers to stop using their Vaio Fit 11A laptop as soon as possible.

In another statement on its website, Sony has revealed the serial number of the affected European products. Sony is advising affected customers to leave their details on the page and wait for the company to get back. The Vaio Fit 11A uses a non-removable battery, which means the entire product will have to be replaced.

According to a report by WSJ, a Panasonic spokeswoman confirmed the company had provided the batteries to Sony under an outsourcing contract. But she did not comment to what other computer manufacturers had received the similar Panasonic batteries.

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Apple's new iMac a turning point for hybrid drives

When Apple Inc marketing head Phil Schiller launched the new iMac in October he enthused about its "Fusion Drive", a storage option combining the cost and capacity benefits of hard drives with the speed of flash memory.

For many, the pitch was probably lost amid the buzz accompanying the launch of the new iPad mini the same day.

But Apple's adoption of a technology that has been around for years, without really catching on, looks likely to finally bring "hybrid" drives into the mainstream.

That will mean faster PCs that are cheap enough for most consumers, very soon.

The outlook has also suddenly brightened for makers of hard disk drives (HDDs), whose share of the $45 billion storage drive market is being eroded by makers of more modern solid state drives(SSDs) that are faster, more reliable but also pricier.

"Hybrid drives will be the future of mass market cheap storage," said John Rydning, an analyst at technology research firm IDC. "Although so far we haven't seen much traction, I see all the pieces falling into place now that even Apple is selling these."

Hybrid drives a cross between a standard HDD and a flash chip have been slow to take off because until now only Seagate Technology Plc was offering them. PC makers normally shy away from sourcing from a single supplier.

They also cost more than traditional hard drives, and have been seen as a transitional technology as the market waited for SSD prices to drop.

Now, both Seagate and rival HDD maker Western Digital Corp are banking on hybrids to get a leg up in a crowded SSD market, where they compete with more than 100 other firms.

Ultrabooks thinner, faster laptops positioned to rival tablets present the best opportunity to launch hybrid drives into the mass market, analysts say, and Ultrabooks running on hybrid drives are expected to be a big theme at next month's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Ultrabooks, which have chips supplied by Intel Corp, have been criticized for being too expensive, and manufacturers have shipped fewer than expected.

"An all-SSD solution for an Ultrabooks is very viable but also very expensive," Western Digital President Steve Milligan said in an interview.

Richard Kuegle, an analyst at brokerage Needham and Co, also notes that Intel's strict specification of near-instant boot times for Ultrabooks makes HDDs obsolete, while SSD solutions remain too expensive for most consumers.

"In order to get that instant-on element, you have to have NAND (flash memory) of some kind, so the answer was in front of (manufacturers) all along, and that is hybrid drives," he said.
Not so new
To be sure, Apple's solution is not strictly speaking a hybrid drive. It is software-based, relying on a huge chunk of flash memory linked to a standard HDD. Still, the underlying rationale puts it in the same category as a hybrid.

"We've certainly been getting more calls from OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) since Apple's announcement," Scott Horn, Seagate's vice president of marketing, told Reuters.
Seagate has shipped only about 1.5 million hybrid drives, branded Momentus XTs, since launching them about four years ago.

Technology research consultancy Gartner expects the hybrid drive market to grow to more than 100 million units in 2016 from its estimate of 1.8 million in 2011.

About 500 million hard drives and less than 50 million solid state drives are sold every year.
Western Digital, which estimates current demand for hybrids at 1.5 million to 2 million a year, will launch its own hybrids early in the new year and expects the market to grow quickly.
"It is important to note that Apple is validating the value of hybrid technologies," Western Digital's Milligan said.

Analysts said that while hybrid drives would let HDD makers make up some ground lost to SSDs, it was too soon to make meaningful financial projections for Seagate and Western Digital, which control 90 percent of the hard drive market.

Demand for storage is soaring.
About 650 terabytes of storage will be sold this year alone, according to Gartner -- enough to store every single piece of data on the World Wide Web twice over.
SSD shipments have almost tripled this year, while HDD shipments have grown less than 5 percent.
"The problem is, (SSDs are) still not cheap enough and hard drives on the other hand are still getting cheaper every day,"

said Ryan Chien, an analyst at research firm IHS iSuppli.
IDC expects the storage drive market to be worth about $57 billion by 2016, about $12 billion more than this year. It expects hybrids to be the standard memory in at least 30 percent of notebooks in four years.

Needham and Co's Kuegle is even more bullish, estimating that almost all hard drives will have a flash component by the end of next year.

"Hybrid as a category is going to became the de-facto standard for disk drives as we go out one or two years," he said. "There's this great need to have higher throughput from disk drives but at the same time still keeping the capacity and the cost down."

Hybrids would not make sense if SSD costs fell into line with HDD costs, said Mark Geenen of Trendfocus, a hard drive consultancy. "However, we don't see that happening over the next five years," he said.

A hard drive can be as much as 10 times slower than flash memory but it is also significantly cheaper.
The flash component in a hybrid can be used to run a computer's operating system, key applications and parts of files that need speedier performance, while data such as music, movies and other files are stored on the workhorse HDD.

Some skeptics
Western Digital plans to launch hybrids of varying capacities next year, while Seagate expects its entire portfolio of hard drives to have a hybrid option in the next few years.
"I think you will see pretty much all Seagate products in hybrid format apart from the standard HDD format," Seagate's Horn said.

Hybrid drives have their own problems, though.
One big drawback is that they so far lack the ability to compete with flash drives in tablets -- one of the fastest growing device markets as those devices need the small size and light weight of flash memory.
To stay competitive, hybrids will also need to continue to become cheaper, matching or exceeding the falling prices of flash memory.
And there are skeptics.
"If you can get hybrid drives into, let's say, the sub-$1,000 PC market, I'd say that's interesting, but I'm just not as confident in hybrids anymore as I was a few years ago," hardware industry blogger Anand Lal Shimpi said.

The 128 gigabytes of flash content in Apple's Fusion Drive makes it technically superior to any hybrid that is likely to come on the market anytime soon, making Apple's offering a bigger draw for consumers, Shimpi said.

For the market to really take off, PC makers will need make products that match Apple's a big hurdle.
"Apple has a unique solution that is software-based, so any other OEM can't just say 'hey we are gonna do what Apple is doing'," Shimpi said.

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Google's $99 Chromebook laptop offer receives tremendous response

US teachers have flooded school-centric charity website DonorsChoose.org to snap up Chrome notebook computers Google made available to classrooms for just $99 each.

DonorsChoose said Tuesday that it was no longer taking Chromebook requests from instructors since the allotted supply was exhausted due to the "tremendous response" to the offer.

DonorsChoose is a website where people can donate money to back class projects or provide gear needed in cash-strapped schools based on needs or goals laid out by teachers.

Google on Monday said that Samsung Series 5 Chromebooks that teachers put on wish lists at DonorsChoose would be available for a price of $99 each in a hefty $330 discount from the starting price in shops.

"For many students and teachers, the hassles of traditional computing often prevent them from making the most of technology in the classroom," Google group product manager Rajen Sheth said in a blog post.

"Schools that have adopted Chromebooks, however, have been able to bring the web's vast educational resources whether it's conducting real-time research or collaborating on group projects right into the classroom."

More than a thousand US schools use Chromebooks in classrooms, according to Sheth.
Google built Chrome operating software into notebook computers in a challenge to machines powered by Microsoft Windows.

The Chrome computing model shifts operating software into the Internet "cloud," where data centers store information and tend to tough tasks.

Chromebooks act essentially as doors to banks of Google servers on the Internet, with the California-based technology titan tending to matters such as updating programs and fending off hackers and malicious software.

Advantages include quick start-ups from disk drive-free machines, long battery life, and essentially being able to dive into one's desktop data from anywhere on the Internet.

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New Acer C7 Chromebook by Google unveiled for $199

Google has launched its new entry in Chromebook. This new Chromebook is a combined contribution of Google and Acer.This new Chromebook is named as Acer C7 Chromebook. Acer C7 Chromebook is the sixth Cromebook in Chromebook series and out of earlier five Chromebooks, first three Chromebooks are discontinued and and last two from Samsung are still available in the market.The last model was Samsung Chromebox before Acer C7 which was launched earlier this year. As Acer C7 is launched under series of low cost laptops running Google Operating System so it is not having any 3G variant unlike the 3G variants of Samsung Chromebook.

Chromebooks are popular in market because of its fast boot up time of Google Chrome Operating System and secondly it functions fully on web and internet and all important data is stored on the server space provided by Google. With this Acer C7, Google is providing 100 GB of data storage server to access data remotely.

Google Acer C7 Chromebook Tech Specs :

• 11.6-inch Display with  1366×768 resolution
• 1.1 GHz Intel Celeron 847
• Google Chrome Operating System
• 100 GB Google Drive Cloud Storage for 2 years
• 320 GB Hard Disk
• 2 GB RAM
• Wifi and Ethernet
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• 1 HDMI port
• High Defintion Camera
• Thickness : 1 inch with weight  : 1.4 kg
• 3.5 hours Battery Backup

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Fujitsu launches Windows 8 tablet cum notebook for Rs. 69,000

Fujitsu has become the latest contender to join the brigade of hybrids with the launch of STYLISTIC Q702 hybrid tablet. This tablet cum notebook comes with 11.6-inch HD dual digitizer multi-touch display and weighs 850 grams minus the keyboard.

Fujitsu claims that the screen is easy to use even in direct sunlight. STYLISTIC Q702 comes with a standard 4 cell battery but there is a second battery in the keyboard as well. One can opt for 3rd Generation Intel Core i3 or i5 processor with optional Intel vPro Technology. Other features include 4GB DDR3 RAM, biometric fingerprint sensor and optional embedded support for 3G/UMTS or 4G/LTE mobile data.

The STYLISTIC Q702 with Windows 8 is priced at Rs. 69,000 plus taxes (including the keyboard).
Apart from the STYLISTIC Q702, Fujitsu has also showcased a redesigned version of LIFEBOOK T902. LIFEBOOK T902 is a convertible tablet PC, which according to the company, is targeted at the consumers who need more performance than a tablet. LIFENOOK T902 will come with 3rd Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and support up to 16GB of RAM. This tablet can run Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and even Windows 7 Professional. However, the company did not reveal any further details about the pricing, or availability of LIFEBOOK T902.

Commenting on the launch, Dieter Heiss, Vice-President, Workplace Systems at Fujitsu Technology Solutions, says, "With the new STYLISTIC Q702 hybrid tablet, Fujitsu is delivering the best of both worlds: the portability and ease-of-use of a tablet, which is perfect for consuming content, and an attachable keyboard, converting the device into a notebook with a full keyboard where it's easier to create content, for example when working on a spreadsheet or editing a business proposal."

STYLISTIC Q702 key specs 

• Keyboard docking station featuring a 4-cell battery and expansion ports including LAN (RJ-45) and external display support (VGA)
• LED backlit IPS anti-glare 11.6-inch HD dual digitizer multi-touch display optimized for both pen and touch input
• USB 2.0 and 3.0, HDMI, SD/SDHC expansion ports on the tablet
• Optional 3G/UMTS or 4G/LTE mobile broadband support (support may vary by region)
• Accelerometer, gyrometer, magnetometer, and ambient light sensors all contributing to a fluid computing experience
• Front-facing and rear-facing webcams with complementing dual microphones for video conferencing
• Up to 256GB (non-FDE) and 128GB (Full Disk Encryption)

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AMD planning to sell Texas campus in a bid to raise cash

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Inc is putting up for sale its Austin, Texas campus to raise cash, which analysts say is a positive move for the chip giant.

AMD said it will sell and lease back its 58-acre Austin, Texas campus for $150 million to $200 million. It hopes to close the deal in the second quarter of 2013.
AMD has struggled with a weakening PC market, aggravated by an uncertain economy.
Early this week, Chief Executive Rory Read said AMD is wrapping up a "perfect storm" of a year, with a "choppy" business environment anticipated in 2013.
Problems arose mainly due to the introduction of mobile gadgets like the smartphone and tablet, PCs have seen a strong decline in sales.
"I think it's a smart move," Williams Financial analyst Cody Acree said noting that AMD has to make investments as it faces "a secular decline in the PC space".
Evercore Partners analyst Patrick Wang said in a note that the move is "but a temporary fix," adding: "The quick cash fix would help alleviate management's current cash crunch over the next two to three quarters."
AMD is currently looking to sneak into other markets. In late October, the chip maker announced it was making 64-bit ARM processors for multiple markets. It's starting with its Piledriver Opteron 6300 Series, which will replace the Bulldozer-equipped Opteron 6200 Series.

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Samsung India launches Windows-8 based ATIV Smart PC, ATIV Smart PC Pro

Samsung has introduced its ATIV Smart PC and ATIV Smart PC Pro devices in India. Both these 'hybrid' devices feature a 10-finger multi-touch screen and are powered by Microsoft's latest Windows 8 operating system.
The Samsung ATIV Smart PC features a 11.6-inch touchscreen full-HD LCD, S-Pen, Intel Atom Z2760 processor, and USB 2.0. It is 9.9mm thick and will be available in the market for Rs. 53,990.
On the other hand, ATIV Smart PC Pro, is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor. Other features of Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro include USB 3.0, S-Pen, and an 11.6-inch touchscreen full-HD LCD. This device is 11.9mm thick and will retail for Rs. 75, 490.
Samsung ATIV Smart PC and Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro will be available in Indian along with a detachable keyboard docking system (included with both devices), which allows users to switch between a tablet and traditional laptop mode.
According to Samsung, though Smart PC and Smart PC Pro come with Windows 8 on-board, they are also fully compatible with Windows 7. Samsung's applications such as S Note and SPlayer come pre-installed in both devices.
Announcing these products, Jin Park, Vice President of IT Solutions Business at Samsung Electronics said, "Our smart devices like ATIV Smart PC and ATIV Smart PC Pro and Samsung Notebooks deliver seamless user experience through convergence technologies across multiple devices. With our leadership in design and technology and Microsoft's leadership in operating systems, we are able to provide customers with smart devices that have the most beautiful design, powerful performance and ease of use."
Uday Bhatt, Director, Samsung IT business said, "Samsung has had a great year so far with its products being accepted in the market. We have established a strong foundation and we will continue to bring in innovative products and new user experiences to delight our Indian consumers".
Samsung had first unveiled ATIV Smart PC and ATIV Smart PC Pro at IFA 2012.

Samsung ATIV Smart PC key specs

• Display Size: 11.6" (PLS type) with 1366 x 768p resolution
• 31Wh battery
• 304.0 x 189.4 x 9.9mm(without keyboard) | 304.0 x 189.4 x 19.9mm(with keyboard)
• Weight: 750g(without keyboard) / 1.48kg(with keyboard)
• Operating System: Windows 8
• Processor: Next generation Intel Atom Processor
• System Memory: LPDDR 2GB
• Integrated Camera: Front 2M, Rear 8M(w/ flash)
• Storage Hard Disk Drive: 128GB eMMC
• Wi-Fi, 4G/LTE, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0
• USB2.0x1, USB2.0x2(KBD), mHDMI, microSD

Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro key specs

• Display Size: 11.6" (PLS type) with 1920 x 1080p resolution
• 47Wh battery
• 304.0 x 189.4 x 11.89mm(without keyboard) | 304.0 x 189.4 x 21.89mm(with keyboard)
• Weight: 884g(without keyboard) / 1.6kg(with keyboard)
• Operating System: Windows 8
• Processor: Intel Core i5
• System Memory: DDR 4GB
• Integrated Camera: Front 2M, Rear 5M
• Storage Hard Disk Drive: Up to 256GB SSD
• Wi-Fi, 4G/LTE, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0
• USB3.0x1, USB2.0x2(KBD), mHDMI, microSD

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4 Asus AIOs launched in India, prices start at Rs. 30,000

The Asus AIO range that includes the ET2012IUKS, ET2210INKS, ET2012IGTS and ET2411INTI has been unveiled and its price in India begins at Rs. 30,000. The latter two devices have been fitted with touch displays and all of these systems are said to adopt a space-saving and ergonomic design.

First up is the ET2012IUKS, a 20-inch all-in-one that operates with the assistance of the Intel G640 processor and tags along 4GB of DDR3 RAM. Loaded with a GPU for enhanced graphics, the device has been integrated with a 3.5-inch 500GB HDD. It even features an optical disk drive and a webcam in addition to Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n for wireless internet access.

The ET2210INKS compact computer is graced by a 21.5-inch screen as well as a camera so users can engage in face-to-face video conferencing. It hides the Intel Core i3-2120 processor under the hood along with 6GB of DDR3 RAM for smooth multitasking. Its ability to deliver decent graphics can be attributed to the NV GT610M GPU. The Wi-Fi-enabled system allows users to hoard digital content of up to 1TB capacity as it incorporates a 3.5-inch SATA HDD.

The ET2012IGTS AIO from Asus offers a multi-touch real estate of 20 inches and gains steam from the Intel Core i3-2120 chipset. It ships with 8GB of DRR3 RAM and a 3.5-inch HDD of 500GB capacity along with AMD HD7470M graphics. Pre-loaded with the Windows 7 OS, it boasts of webcam, an ODD and WLAN amongst a number of other attributes.


Another touchscreen AIO from the company is the ET2411INTI, which employs a 23.6-inch display in addition to a snapper. It is fueled by the Intel Core i5-3450 CPU, 6GB of DDR3 RAM and the Nvidia GT630M graphics, while the computer even employs a 1TB 3.5-inch SATA HDD. It features built-in Wi-Fi, a subwoofer and runs on the Windows 7 platform.

All of these wall-mountable PCs have been deployed with the company’s proprietary SonicMaster technology in order to ensure lossless audio and in turn an improved acoustic experience. This technology takes advantage of a digital signal processor which is responsible for delivering distinct vocals and fidelity. These computers are backed by a three-year onsite warranty.

The Asus ET2012IUKS, ET2210INKS, ET2012IGTS and ET2411INTI AIOs carry price tags of Rs. 30,000, Rs. 44,400, Rs. 43,000 and Rs. 66,600, respectively.

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Sony unveils VAIO Duo 11 hybrid ultrabook for Rs. 89,990

Sony India Thursday unveiled the next generation hybrid ultrabook VAIO Duo 11. The device will be available in stores by the end of December for Rs. 89,990. Sony had globally showcased VAIO Duo 11 in August 2012.

Sony VAIO Duo 11 comes with what Sony terms as the 'Surf Slider' design, which helps the device to switch smoothly between Tablet and PC modes. It comes with 11.6-inch (29.4cm) screen with a resolution of 1920x1080. VAIO Duo 11 features a backlit keyboard, is 17.85 mm thin and weighs 1.3 kilograms.

The device is powered by 3rd generation Intel Core i5-3317U 1.7GHz processor and runs on Windows 8. Other features include 4GB DDR3 SDRAM and 128GB flash drive. VAIO Duo 11 comes with built-in 4,960mAh cell battery that lasts for about 4.5 hours. The company is also offering an option of a sheet-type battery, which extends battery life to about 9 hours but will cost extra. As of now Sony has not zeroed in on the India price for this sheet-type battery.

There is a 2-megapixel front and rear camera on board. For connectivity Sony VAIO Duo 11 comes with Bluetooth, USB 3.0, HDMI, Ethernet and VGA ports, as well as USB Sleep Charge that lets you charge USB devices like mobiles or music players on the go, even when the PC is off, .

To sweeten the deal, Sony is offering Digital noise cancelling headphones along with Sony VAIO Duo 11. Other optional accessories with this device include a screen protection cover and carrying case.

Commenting on the launch, Shoji Ohama, Product Manager VAIO, Sony India says, "Sony is known to come out with elegant, sleek and portable products and Sony VAIO Duo 11 to follows the same philosophy." He further adds, "Android tablets are about ease of use and not about productivity while Windows is for both productivity and fast results".
The company shared that they currently have no plans to come out with a similar product running on Windows RT.
VAIO Duo 11 specifications

• Intel Core i7-3517U,
• Windows 8
• 4GB DDR3L 1600MHz SDRAM
• 128GB SSD
• 29.4cm (11.6") OptiContrast™ Panel;
• Full HD (1920x1080) with wide (16:9) aspect ratio; capacitive touchscreen
• Intel® HD Graphics 4000
• WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n; Bluetooth® Ver. 4.0 + HS; Ethernet (1000BASE-T/100BASE-TX/10BASE-T x 1); USB 3.0 (x1), USB 3.0 with USB charge (x1); VGA out; HDMI out; Memory Stick Duo / SD memory card combined slot; stereo speakers with xLOUD™ ; Full HD Web Cameras (x2, front and rear facing) powered by 'Exmor for PC' (2.07 megapixels); Sensors (NFC, GPS, Accelerometer, Gyro, Digital Compass); Windows button; rotation lock button; digitizer stylus; optional extended battery pack
• Approx. 320 mm x 17.85 mm x 199 mm
• Approx. 1.3kg (with standard supplied battery)

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Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 review

Microsoft recently launched its Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 in India. It can be paired with any Bluetooth enabled mobile phone, notebook, desktop or tablet. 

Mobile Keyboard 5000 succeeds company's Mobile Keyboard 6000 and the only major difference between the versions is the missing numeric pad in the former.

Packaging and contents
The red keyboard box is just as sleek as the product. Apart from the Bluetooth keyboard, the package comes with a user manual and two Alkaline AAA batteries that are required to power this device.

Design and build quality
Microsoft's Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 is a visually appealing device. Unlike the competing keyboards that are rectangular in shape, it has a slightly curved design that works in its favour.  Another positive for this keyboard is its slim and light-weight profile.

The keys are large and well-spaced, but unlike other keyboards not all keys on Microsoft's Keyboard 5000 are of equal size. The function keys placed in top row are very small in size; however, as the function keys are hardly used, we did not find it much of an issue.

Function keys aren't the only ones with smaller size on the keyboard. While centre keys such as 'B', 'N', 'G' and 'H' are larger, the corner keys like 'O', 'K', 'L' and 'Q' are smaller. According to the company, this unusual size of keys, and the design of this keyboard, encourages natural posture while typing. That might well be true, but it certainly takes some getting used to.

Talking about the other parts of the keyboard, the battery lid has been placed at the rear along with power button and Bluetooth pairing button. The pairing button is quite small and we found it a little uncomfortable to use. If you plan to pair with different devices on a regular basis, this may be a slight pain-point.

Moving on to the build quality, this keyboard is made essentially of the plastic but it does not look cheap and feels like a sturdy device.

With mere 414 grams weight, the keyboard is quite lightweight, but because of the size, we didn't find portable enough for tablets. To make it more travel friendly, the keyboard should have ideally come with a soft cover/pouch. But, Microsoft seems to have overlooked it.

Further on the downside, there is no indicator for Caps Lock, or the battery life. Company has just given a power indicator, which informs you if the device has been powered on and also blinks while the device is in discoverable mode.

Performance
To use the Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000, all one needs to do is insert two AAA batteries in the keyboard and pair it with a compatible Bluetooth device. We paired it with an Apple iPad and Windows notebook, and in both cases we found the connecting procedure to be similar and fairly straightforward.

In terms of usage, the device is comfortable to use and is very responsive. However, as we have already pointed out, it takes a while to get used to the keys on this one.

Verdict
If you are out in the market looking for a wireless keyboard for home-use, Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 is a decent option, but if you want a portable keyboard for your new tablet, you might find it a bit large.

Pros
Appealing design
Light-weight/Portable
Easy to connect

Cons
Takes a bit of time to get used to the key placement
No battery life/Caps Lock indicator

Price: Rs. 3,350

Ratings:
Performance: 3.5
Price: 3
Ease of setup: 4
Ergonomics: 4
Wow Factor: 3.5

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High-flying Apple falls to earth as investors fret over taxes

Gravity has taken hold of Apple , and a lot of investors have been smacked on the head.Apple Inc, the largest U.S. stock by market value, was headed toward its eighth straight week of declines on Friday, as the rush to secure profits before a potential hike in capital gains taxes next year has investors dumping the market favorite.
Since hitting a record high of $705.07 a share in September, Apple has lost about a quarter of its value. The stock's descent has vastly outpaced those of the S&P 500, which is down just under 7 percent in the same time frame.
"No individual investment can defy gravity," said Erik Davidson, deputy chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Private Bank, in San Francisco.
The declines have shaved about $170 billion off the company's market capitalization -- or just a bit more than the entire value of Coca-Cola . Apple is still currently worth about $493 billion, about $100 billion more than the second-most valuable U.S. company, Exxon Mobil .
Apple on Friday afternoon was little changed, up 0.2 percent at $526.59.
Taxes on capital gains and dividends are likely to rise next year as part of an expected deficit-cutting deal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff of scheduled tax hikes and spending cuts.
With a stock like Apple, where investors may have large embedded capital gains as a result of its stellar run, selling now locks in gains and offsets the possibility of higher taxes next year. The uncertainty over the outcome of talks in Washington over the fiscal cliff has sapped the natural inclination to buy declining shares.
"Some of the selling is being driven by these tax decisions, but the flip side is there is not a lot of buyers because the buyers are procrastinating to see how the negotiations come out," said Bucky Hellwig, senior vice president at BB&T Wealth Management in Birmingham, Alabama. "You probably have an inordinate effect to the downside because of these tax strategies."
The current 15 percent tax rate on dividends and capital gains is scheduled at expire at year end, and the two items are to revert back to being taxed as ordinary income, which means the highest earners would face rates of 35 percent.
The recent plunge is a reversal of fortune for high-flying Apple, those though the shares remain up about 30 percent for the year so far. Apple shares have rise every year since 2003 with the exception of 2008, when the market was struck by the global financial crisis.
"If you've got all these gains - which a lot of Apple investors have because it's done very, very well - then you're going to see selling in the likes of Apple and other companies that have had good runs," Davidson said.
Apple's stock has been below both its 14-day and 50-day moving average for over a month, suggesting both the short- and mid-term momentum is negative.
Despite the declines, Thomson Reuters StarMine estimates the stock's intrinsic value is about $833.90 a share. That figure is derived from analyst estimates for growth over the next five years and StarMine's expected growth rates for several years after that.
Given that the stock is likely worth more than where it is trading, tax concerns are probably playing into the recent weakness, said Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors, in New York.
"I think the stock is worth $750," said Orlando.
"If you are sitting here looking at Apple trading at $500, you say, 'Well the stock ought to be 50 percent higher over the course of the next year or two,' so the stock looks pretty attractive."
© Thomson Reuters 2012

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